By By ROBERT BLANKENSHIP – Managing Editor
Two men accused of carjacking one vehicle and stealing another Tuesday in Brewton are currently in a Texas jail and awaiting extradition back to Alabama.
Jeremy Dewayne Elliot, 22, of Blair Road, Brewton and Winston Shay Ward, 26, of Capstone Lane, Tallassee, Ala., were each on fugitive from justice charges in Texas. Officials with the Escambia County Sheriff Office said the two men will each be charged with two counts of theft of property, first degree, and robbery, first degree, upon their return to Brewton.
According to ECSO Chief Deputy Mike Murphy, deputies responded to Murder Creek Road near Brewton on a carjacking call on Tuesday. According to Murphy, Elliot and Ward, who are cousins, went to a residence on Blair Road at approximately 1:15 a.m. and asked a male juvenile to give them a ride to Kirkland Road. The juvenile was an acquaintance of Elliot and he agreed to give them a ride, according to Murphy.
Officials said that while driving on Murder Creek Road, Elliot requested that the driver pull his 1992 Ford Ranger off the road and let him use the bathroom. While the juvenile and Ward sat in the truck, officials said Elliot allegedly came around the rear of the truck and forced the juvenile out at knife point. Elliot and Ward then allegedly fled the scene in the stolen vehicle.
Authorities later found the stolen truck to find that another vehicle had been stolen.
At approximately 6:30 p.m., Elliot and Ward were pulled over by a Texas State Trooper in the city of Conroe for a seatbelt violation. Both men were taken into custody after the tag registration indicated that the vehicle was stolen.
In addition to the theft charges, ECSO officials said Elliot is facing an already-existing violation of parole charge.
Murphy said that ECSO Sgt. Inv. Monte McGougin and Inv. Jeff Beasley did a fast and outstanding job on the case. He added that the Federal Bureau of Investigation would be contacted to see if they would like to pursue carjacking charges against the two suspects.